Shelf construction



May 13, 1930. J. E. BALEs SHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept 27, 1928 /WENTOR JqMmE 2521.55, BY: @Zww @o'x mm Patented May 13, 1930 UNlTE D STATES time? PATENT oer-" ce JAMES E. BALES, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T LYON METAL PRODUCTS, IN- COBIPOBATED, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS SHELF CONSTRUCTION My invention relates in general to metal furniture and thelike and has more particular reference to a novelmeans for interconnecting the parts of sheet metal constructions.

Such constructions are formed by assembling sheet material and securing the sheets together by means of bolts or other fastening devices. Bolts are relatively expensive and are difficult to apply especially at remote points in the structure or in corners or closely adjacent a vertical partition, and it is my intention to provide afastening means which is cheap to make, easy to apply and remove and which firmly locks the parts in position.'

16 An important object of the invention is to provide an easily attachable means for interconnecting the separable parts of a structure formed of sheet metal or similar material.

Another important object is to provide a cheap fastening device for separable sheet metal parts.

Another important object is to provide a resilient self-locking fastening member for separable sheet metal parts.

Numerous other important objects of the invention will be apparent as it is more fully understood from the followin description which, taken in connection wit the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a sheet metal construction showing the fastening device of my invention-in operative position;

Figure 2-is a vertical cross-section taken substantially along the line 2-2 in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the fastening device of my invention.

To illustrate my invention I have shown on the drawings a portion of a sheet metal structure which comprises a horizontal shelf member-11 and a vertical shelf member 12, which may be a partition or a side wall. The horizontal shelf member 11 is provided with depending flanges 18 and has spaced rows 14 of registerin erforations 15 formed in the body of the shelf member, the perforations of 50 each row being formed as a" spaced series of Application filed September 27, 1928. Serial No. 808,605.

apertures. The vertical shelf member 12 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 16 along an edge thereof and spaced perforations 17 are formed in this flange, the perforations being spaced apart a distance equal to the spacing of the registering slots 15 in the spaced rows 14 so that when a perforation 17 is aligned with a perforation 15 of one row 14, another perforation 17 maybe aligned with a perforation 15 of another row. '14 by suitably orienting the partition 12 with respect to the shelf member 11.

In order to connect the shelf member 11 to the partition 12 ,I have provided a fastening member 18 having ends 19 formed-and arranged to extend through the aligned apertures 15 and 17 The member 18 comprises a relatively long and narrow strip of spring material which normally has a downward T bowed conformation as'illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. The member 18 is bent downwardly at points 20 spaced from the ends of the strip and thence forwardly at 21 to provide extremities 22 off-set and substantially parallel with the main portion of the member 18. The fastening member is'applied by bowing its main portion in a reverse direction until the extremities may be inserted through the spaced apertures 17 and the aperatures 15 of the shelf member 11 with which the apertures 17 are aligned, the extremities 21 engaging the lower surface of the shelf member 11, the intermediate portion between the points 20 and 21 extending through the apertures 15 and 17. Upon releasing the main portion of the fastening member, the resilienceof the spring stripcauses the main body portion of the strip to lie flat against the upper surface of the flange 16 and the length of the fastening member is such that the formed ends 19 may not be disengaged from the shelving except by forcing the intermediateportions of the fastening member upwardly against the natural resilience of the member. In this manner the resilience of the fastening member provides a self-locking feature whereby the ends 19 are normally maintained in looking position beneath the shelf member 11 while the mid-portions of tremely low for the reason that threaded or hinged fastening members are eliminated and p for the further reason that the fastening member has the simplest possible outline, needing no expensive dies for the purpose of.

forming the member. It is obvious also that the member may be applied in a metallic construction with a minimum of effort, it being merely necessary to double the spring member 18 backupon itself and insert the members 19 through the apertures formed in the shelf members. This may be accomplished easily and with a minimum of manipulation.

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be apparent from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changesmay be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing an of its material advantages, the form herein efore described being merely of a preferred embodiment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a shelf member, a second shelf member having a portion engaging the first shelf member and means for fastening the shelf members together, said means including a locking portion having interlocking engagement with both said shelf members and-a portion resiliently engaging one of the members whereb the locking portion is secured in interloc 'ng relationship with the shelf members.

2. In combination, a shelf member, a second member and means for, securing said members together, said members having juxtaposed portions and said fastenin means comprising a resilient member provi ed with locking portions each of which mterlockingly engages both shelf members and a resilient portion normally urging said locking portions in engaged position.

3. In combination, a shelf member, a sec ond shelf member and means for securing said members together, said members having juxtaposed portions each provided with a spaced pair of perforations, the perforatlons of one member being arranged to register with the perforations of the other, and said fastening means comprisin a bendable member provided with forme extremities each adapted to engage each a pair of registering slots and a resilientportion ada ted normally to lock said extremities in s ot engaging position.

4. In combination, a shelf member, a second shelf member and means for securing said members together,'said members having engaging portions provided with a plurality of registering slots arranged in spaced relationship and said fastening means comprising a resilient member having spaced locking portions each adapted to engage a pair of registering slots of the guxtaposed portions of the shelf members, sai fastening member being formed and arranged so that its resilience may normally urge the slot engagmg portions into lockmg engagement in sald registering slots.

5. In a shelf structure, a pair of shelf members having engaging portions, said portions having registering perforations, a fastening member having a formed ortion adapted to interlockingly engage sai registerlng perforations to secure the shelf members together and a resilient portion for normally urging said formed portion into locking engagementin said perforations.

6. In a shelf structure, a pair of shelf- 7. In a shelf structure, a pair of shelf members having juxtaposed portions, said portions being provided with registering perforations, there being a pair of spaced perfora tions in one shelf member and a registering air of spaced perforations in the other a astening member comprising a bendable strip of spring material having formed extremities adapted to engage through the registering apertures and an intermediate resilient ortion adapted to resiliently maintain said ormed portions in latching position.

8. In a shelf structure, a pair of shelf members having juxtaposed portions, one of said shelfmembers having a pair of spaced perforations and the other member having registering portions provided to receive fastening means, a resilient fastening latching member comprising a bendable strip of tering portions of the shelf members to secure the same in place, and'an intermediate resilient portion adapted to resiliently maintain said formed portions in latching position, said intermediate resilient portlonbeing curved inwardly, whereby the formed extremities may be inserted in latching position in the spaced portions of the juxtaposed shelf members by curving the intermediate resilient portion of the latching member in a reverse direction to permit the resilience of the curved intermediate portion to force the formed extremities apart and into latching position in the registering portions of the spaced apart registering portions of the members, and the latehing member willbe retained closelyegainst the sheet metal structure intermediate the spaced perforations thereof:

JAMES BALES; 

